Milk container dispensing units



June 9, 1959 E. G. MELlcH ET AL 2,890,008

MILK CONTAINER DIsPENsING UNITS Filed June 2, 1958 INVENTORS. f4/7&5 /V. I/H/ MN 6 PKJJI/ M limproved milk container dispensing United States Patent' 22,890,008 MILK CONTAINER Y1,)ISPE1`TSING- Edwin-Gi Meliclr and JamesN.Vail',A liicagmlll. Appliatioll -illlltfsy 195.8, Serial Nfl-739,197 2'- Cl'm's. (Cl 248--1'42)2 The present invention relates to milk. Centai'ncr dispensing units, and is particularly concerned' with improved dispensing units for milk containers in the form 'Cffcartous` bottles, and the like...

(This. application a continuation-innert of our prior applicatibn', filed August .22,A 19.56,A Ser. No., 605,575.

Que ofthe obiects ot the invention isA the provision of improved' milk container dispensing unit by means of which milk may bepouredV evenly and without :spilling from amilk Container, and in which there ijs no likeliliQOdi that' the Container will be dropped or that spilling will be. Causcdby the lack Of gripping power on the part of theuser..

Another object f. the invention is the prcvisiorrof an whieh. is adapted to maintain the milk' bottle or carton in upright position, and which is adapted to support it while the container is readily tilted ease by children or other persons not having the strength to grip a, large milk carton or container.

Another object. ofr theinvention is the; provision of an improved tiltingframe for. milk bottles. and cartonsA which isl adaptedV to beY economically manufactured, and" which can bei madje' to. grip. and. fit the. standard milk= containers or. cartons; orb nttles,4 eventhoug-h. there is considerable variation-in sizeof both .thecontainers and the, supporting frames.

Another object' ofY the invention is the provision of an milk containers whicheliminates the necessity for gripping the large carton or bottle and provides the user with a convenient handle that can be gripped in the hands of even a very small child.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved tilting milk container support which is adapted to grip the container in such manner that even when the container is tilted at a maxim-um angle, it cannot slide out of the frame.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved tilting milk container support which will slide on the shelves without catching and which is provided with a knife edge suspension, permitting even and easy tilting of the heaviest cartons.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a tilting support for milk containers which has the tilting frame separable from the fixed frame, but in which the parts are assembled by a hook and eye arrangement, thereby providing a positive connection, and eliminating the possibility of any accidental disconnection of the parts.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an interchangeable construction which may be used both for glass bottles and cartons.

One of the most important objects of the invention is the provision of an improved dispensing runit for milk bottles which is adapted to receive, t and grip glass bottles of the approximate size in spite of variations in size which occur in different batches of bottles made by rmice 2.1 the same manufacturer or variations between; bottlesof dilerent manufacturers.

Other` objects andadvantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description. and the accompanying drawingg, in which similar characters of reference indicate, similar parts throughout thev several views.

Referring tothezdrawings,

Fig. 1 is a front'elevational view of a tilting milk carton support embodying the invention;Y

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view with an alternative position shown in dotted lines;l

Fig. 3 is a top plan view;

Fig. 4 isa fragmentary elevational view of the hook connection between the .tilting frame and the supporting frame.;

Fig.KV 5 is. a fragmentaryl sectional view taken on the plane of'the line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view in. perspective ofV the bottle gripping spring,`

`Referring t0 Figs. 1.4.,. the tilting milk container sup.- port; is indicated in its entirety by the numeral 10; and it includes. a supporting frame 11 for pivotal-ly mounting a tiltingt basket 18; The supporting frame ispreferably made, of round wire; and it includes a base 12, which is made of a wire bent into rectangular form, having its ends secured together.

The ,base 11.l supports a pair of. V shaped columns 13 13,l the lower ends of which are located to engage the corners` of the frame 11, where these ends are welded at 25.l At each apex 14 of the V shaped columns there, is a metal washer 15, which is welded to the apex in such manner that, its upper surface is flush with the rounded apex; andthe washers are, located parallel to each other and at theY same height, Servingas bearings for the. tilting frame I8'.

'I'he tilting frame 118lincludes an upper substantially rectangular frame member 17 which is of such size that itI Will receive the glass milk bottle.,4 Such as the half gallon size,vv which is shown in dash lines in the iigures, with a suitable clearance so that all sizes of half gallon bottles maybe received, inthe frame member 17. Althought the bottleA maybe loose inthe frame 17', this looseness iseliminatedfbythe use ofa' spring 50, fiurtherito be described.

There are a pair of U shaped wire members in the tilting frame 18, one of which is indicated at 19, with its bottom at 20; and the upwardly extending ends of this U shaped member are formed with downwardly turned hooks 21. These hooks can be inserted in the holes of the washers 15 by bending the columns 13, 13 as required. The legs 19 of this U shaped member are welded to the outside of the rectangular frame 17 at 19a.

Another U-shaped member 22 has its legs welded to the U-shaped frame member at their upper ends and is also welded to the yoke 20 of the other U-shaped member at the point where these wires cross. The U-shaped member 22, 23 is formed with an outwardly projecting handle 24 on one side, permitting the user to grip the handle when the tilting frame is lled with a bottle.

The frame has a generous clearance about `the bottle, so that the frame will permit the insertion of any gallon bottle regardless of manufacturing variations. To take up the looseness between the frame and bottle 26, which is shown in dotted lines, a spring 50 is provided on the leg 23 of the U-shaped member 22.

This spring 50 -may be made of stainless steel sheet metal and has two spaced prongs 30, 31 at the top, one on each side of handle 24; and the prongs 30, 31 are curled about the top frame 17, securing the spring at its top for a limited pivotal movement.

The spring 50 is bowed inward at 32 so that it will engage even the smallest half gallon bottle and urge it to the other side of frame 17, where bottle 26 is gripped. At its lower end 50h spring 50 has an elongated aperture 33 receiving and sliding on wire leg 23 below handle 2.4. As the spring straightens it becomes longer and its lower end slides down `the wire 23. The curved prongs 30, 31 keep the spring 30 facing the bottle and permit the upper end to pivot as the spring bends.

Another similar spring 50a is mounted on leg number 17 of basket 18 by curved portions 31A and is inwardly bowed at 32A. The lower end 50b of said spring engages the side of leg 19. Thus the bottle is gripped by two springs.

The present frame will thus fit all half despite variations in dimensions.

The operation of this device is as follows:

The carton is pressed into the tilting frame 18; and the height of the side columns 12 and 13 and depth of `the tilting frame 18 `is such that the center of gravity is below the point of pivot on the hooks 21 in washers 15.

It will thus be observed that we have invented improved tilting supports for milk bottles and cartons, which will maintain the milk containers in upright position at all times to avoid spilling, yet which permit tilting with one hand to pour out any amount desired.

These tilting supports can be handled by children and others whose hands are too small to grip the large bottles.

The base frames Y will slide lreadily on refrigerator gallon bottles,

shelves without catching; and the -tilting frames will fit.

cartons and rigid glass bottles regardless of variations in size.

The hook and washer .pivots operate with a minimum amount of friction like a knife edge pivot; and the present devices may be manufactured at a very low cost.

While we have illustrated a preferred embodiment of ou-r invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and we do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States.

1. A tilting support for milk bottles comprising a wire frame having a stable base and two upwardly extending frame members with bearings at their tops, a tilting frame having a basket embracing the sides of a milk bottle loosely and supporting the bottom of the milk bottle, said tilting frame having hook trunnions in said bearings, and a leaf spring carried by Ithe basket and gripping the bottle, said basket having U-shaped wires supporting the bottle and having an upper rectangular frame embracing the bottle and secured to the upper ends of the legs of the U-shaped wires, said leaf spring having a pair of spaced prongs located on opposite sides of one of said legs and curled about the adjacent portion of said rectangular -frame to provide a pivotal mounting for said spring, said spring having a lower end engaged with the inner side of a lleg Ato urge the bottle toward an opposite leg of the basket.

2. A tilting support for milk bottles comprising a wire frame having a stable base and two upwardly extending frame members with bearings at their tops, a tilting frame Vhaving a basket embracing the sides of a milk bott-le loosely and supporting the bottom of the milk bottle, said tilting frame lhaving hook trunnions in said bearings, and a leaf spring carried by the basket and gripping the bottle, said basket having U-shaped Wires supporting the bottle and having an upper rectangular frame embracing the bottle and secured to the upper ends of the legs of the U-shaped wires, said leaf spring having a pair of spaced prongs located on opposite sides of one of said legs and curled about the adjacent portion of said rectangular frame to provide a pivotal mounting for said spring, said spring being bowed inwardly far enough to engage any bottle inserted in said basket, and having its lower end provided with an elongated aperture receiving said latter leg.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Australia Mar. 16, 1955 

